Live Review: Dropkick Murphys, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Swingin' Utters, The Corps

Sydney locals The Corps kicked the night off in high octane fashion, belting out a neat, 20-minute set of their brand of Rose Tattoo-cum-Motörhead influenced punk rock. Despite a small crowd, the group totally gave it their 'oi' punk best. Californian punk stalwarts Swingin' Utters' frontman Johnny Bonnel certainly knows how to own a stage, even one as wide as the Big Top's. He jumped and hopped around to the band's classic, straight-down-the-middle street punk sound, built on a set of old classics, newer tunes and some previewed from the group's upcoming 2013 record which, by the sounds of it, fans will eat up.

Arguably folk punk's greatest and most relevant voice, Frank Turner wasted no time showing the now large crowd he deserved their attention. Turner's voice is hardly the most technically proficient, but his passion and power make it his strongest weapon. He rocked his way through a terrific and high octane acoustic set to the crowd's love. And hey, name dropping the Annandale Hotel is always a sure-fire way to win over a punk crowd.

From the booming opening of The Boys Are Back, though, it was clear this was the Dropkick Murphys' night. The group did err a little towards more recent material, though classics like Pipebomb On Lansdowne were given rocking renditions to a receptive and ever air-punching crowd. The band can – and does – show its love of the acoustic and hardcore, but it's the melding of the two, with the ever-present and danceable Celtic tune behind it all, that the 'Murphys really excel at. The band has hardly changed their approach in 15 years, but seeing them live – and they must be seen live – you'd be hard-pressed to want them to.